WRECK OF THE CHALLENGER. 



103 



though each day saw some of us endeavouring 

 to give dryness to our habitation, the damp and 

 wet proved unconquerable. 



Signor Sylva made himself very useful to us, 

 whenever his authority with the Chilinos or 

 friendly Indians was called for. He expressed 

 great satisfaction at being associated with British 

 officers after a service of twenty-three years, a 

 part of which time he had been campaigning 

 against the Araucanian Indians. He related to 

 us many histories of their undaunted courage, 

 as well as some cruel acts of treachery which 

 they had been guilty of towards the Chilinos, 

 by deceiving them in an assurance of a friendly 

 disposition towards Chili. The information 

 which Signor Sylva gave, together with that 

 from other sources, put the Indian population 

 at about 40,000 : scattered over a vast tract 

 of country, mustering 8000 fighting men, but 

 rarely bringing against the Chilinos more than 

 from 2000 to 3000 at any one time. 



On examining and taking an account of our 

 stores, baggage, and provisions, the cunning of 

 the Indians proved to have been too much for 

 us. We discovered that there had been a great 

 number of articles plundered on the road from 



H 4s 



